SOUTH AFRICA RAISES CITRUS BLACK SPOT ISSUE AT WTO

SOUTH AFRICA RAISES CITRUS BLACK SPOT ISSUE AT WTO

South Africa has raised the issue of the European Union’s (EU) regulations on Citrus Black Spot at the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The EU has threatened to refuse entry to citrus fruit exports from South Africa alleging that the fruits found with traces of black spot on peels pose a risk to the EU citrus producers.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies has expressed the view that the EU stance is fundamentally driven by protectionist, rather than plant health concerns and is aimed at restricting highly competitive citrus imports from SA to the benefit of citrus producers in the EU.

Minister Davies has said there is no scientific consensus that supports the EU’s claim that citrus black spot (CBS) found on peels could infect European orchards.  He has also pointed out that proposals from SA to divide the EU into different zones with stricter regulations for imports into citrus growing areas in southern Europe had ignored.

Minister Davies is of the view that South Africa left with no option other than to elevate the issue to the WTO.